Vanthoor Claims Another Zolder Pole

Laurens Vanthoor has claimed pole position for today’s Blancpain Sprint Series Qualifying Race, his second successive pole at Zolder.

Temperatures dropped considerably overnight, with an average temperature of 16ºC (60ºF) during the session.The lower temperatures resulted in much quicker lap times.

Bentley Team HTP driver Maxi Buhk initially posted the fastest time in the No. 84 Bentley Continental GT3, but the German was beaten by local driver Vanthoor, who set a fastest lap of 1:28.716.

“In Q3 I had to push hard and gave it all,” said the Belgian Audi Club Team WRT driver after the session. “I almost crashed twice, that says it all.”

Buhk qualified his Bentley in second place, 0.246 seconds behind the No. 1 Audi R8 LMS ultra. “I never expected to fight for the front row. I am mega happy with P2, with this big and heavy car,” said Buhk.

Yesterday’s quickest car, the No. 333 Rinaldi Racing Ferrari 458 Italia GT3, qualified in third place. “We didn’t expect to be in the top three in Zolder, because the car is not really good here, that is what Ferrari told us. But I think the car is good, speed in the race should be good as well,” said Norbert Siedler.

Stéphane Richelmi (Belgian Audi Club Team WRT), Kevin Estre (Attempto Racing) and Frank Stippler (Belgian Audi Club Team WRT) completed the top six.

Making his GT3 debut at Zolder, Bentley Team HTP driver Tom Dillmann claimed pole position in the Silver Cup. “Q2 went really well, in Q3 unfortunately I had a puncture on the rear left, so I couldn’t improve my time. But still happy to make it into the Super Pole.”

Marko Asmer took pole position in the Pro-Am Cup, but was unable to make it into Q3, after being held up on his fast laps in Q2.

Q1 was briefly interrupted after Christopher Mies stopped at the Villeneuve chicane. The No. 2 Audi R8 LMS ultra returned to the pits under its own power, but did not take any further part in qualifying.

The Qualifying Race for the third round of the 2015 Blancpain Sprint Series will get underway at 14.45 CET today.